BUCKHANNON — Upshur County’s new prosecuting attorney takes the reins from current county prosecuting attorney David Godwin at 12:01 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 1.

Ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, 26th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Jacob Reger, a former Upshur County prosecuting attorney himself, swore in new Upshur County Prosecuting Attorney Bryan S. Hinkle Wednesday. Hinkle has been an assistant county prosecuting attorney in Lewis, Braxton and Upshur counties.

Godwin’s retirement goes into effect at 11:59 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30.

Hinkle said he was pleased the position had become available and is ready to “hit the ground running.”

“Obviously, I’m pleased,” Hinkle said in a statement after his swearing-in ceremony Wednesday at 2 p.m. in the Upshur County Circuit Courtroom. “This is an opportunity I’ve been waiting for, for some time, and it’s presented itself and things have worked out for me.”

Hinkle’s appointment will last through the remainder of Godwin’s term, which expires Dec. 31, 2020. He is definitely planning to run to retain the position, he said.

“Of course, I’ll have to run for the office next year beginning in January, which I will, and obviously, other people might run against me, but I look forward to to the campaign,” Hinkle said. “We’ll go from there. In the meantime, it’ll be a busy month of December, and I’ll hit the ground running Monday, Dec. 2, and we’ll start working hard.”

Hinkle said he’s already familiar with many law enforcement officers in the city and county as well as assistant county prosecutors.

“I know most of the people here already in law enforcement officers, as well as the assistant prosecutors of downstairs,” he said. “I know them, and I have a working relationship with them, so I’m ready to ready to get back to where I started out.”

Hinkle began his career in Upshur County clerking for Judge Thomas Keadle upon earning his law degree.